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New
computer offers an eco friendly option
Surfing
for hours is harmful to the environment. However, a new PC saves energy as
it operates: It produces about 70 per cent less CO2 than conventional
computers and is 98 per cent recyclable
A work tool, a leisure activity resource, a
personal assistant – computers are ubiquitous. Yet the environmental
performance for today‘s computers leaves a lot to be desired: they rapidly
become obsolete, typically contain toxic substances as flame retardants and
have individual components that are difficult to recycle.
Moreover,theyconsumelotofpowerwhoseproduction, in turn, causes the release
of CO2.
Employees at the MicroPro Company in Ireland, working in collaboration with
colleagues at the Fraunhofer Institute in Berlin, have engineered a
wooden-frame computer with reducedenvironmentalimpacts.Asthefirstcomputer
of its class, the “iameco” (pronounced “I - am - eco”) was awarded for the
“EU Ecolabel,” the European Union’s environmental label.
“This touch-screen PC has a very low energy consumption over the entire
lifecycle of the unit – starting from production, through the use phase to
its ultimate recycling,” explains Alexander Schlosser, scientist at
Fraunhofer. The carbon footprint is less than 360 kilograms CO2eq over the
product life cycle, which is 70 per cent less than a typical PC with
monitor. In addition, it can be easily recycled. Of the materials used, 98
per cent can be recycled. Indeed, 20 per cent of the computer can be
recycled immediately – in other words, many parts and components can be
reused for repairing other PCs – such as parts of the wooden frame.
HEATSINKS REPLACE FANS
But how is it possible to design such an environmentally-friendly PC?
One example: to ensure that the processor does not overheat, a fan
typically provides cooling to the PC. This kind of ventilation consumes
energy and comes with an annoyingly incessant buzz. So, the fans were
replacedwithheatsinks,whichconveytheheat from the processor via copper
tubes.
This fan-free design saves energy, and the computer is barely audible. The
scientists also got creative with the display lighting. Instead of
conventional lighting, LEDs illuminate the
screenandimproveitsefficiencyby40percent. The manufacturers reduced the hazardous
materials to a minimum, and for the most part substituted halogenated flame
retardants with chemicals that are less harmful to nature. Over the long
term, these halogenated flame retardants should disappear from all
computers.
Since the eco-PC was designed with standard components, users can retrofit
it anytime – for example, if more internal memory is needed. And if the
computer were to crash , the users would benefit from the improved
disassembly and modular design of the device. This enables the capability
for easier repair and maintenance.Onlythosecomponentswillbereplaced that
are so severely damaged that they can no longer be repaired.
The better maintenance option ensures a longer product life, and the easily
conducted repairs ensureahighdegreeofenvironmentallysound engineering. In
the next stage, the manufacturer intends to expand the modularity of the
computer so that after a few years, users can equip older computers with a
new internal life. The “old” computer would then return to the latest state
of the art – and would cost only half as much as a completely new PC.
MM120810
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